SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — There will soon be looser restrictions in Illinois for felons who want to legally change their name.

Governor JB Pritzker signed the law on Friday, which had passed in the Illinois Senate last month, according to the Chicago Tribune. It was approved with bipartisan support back in 2021 in the House.

Supporters have maintained that it would protect transgender people who are facing discrimination, as wells as human trafficking survivors that are facing danger from their abusers. Opponents, however, argued that it would allow felons to get out of scrutiny and commit more crimes.

“Survivors of human trafficking and transgender people too often are at risk simply because they do not have identity documents that align with their authentic selves,” said Khadine Bennett, director of advocacy and intergovernmental affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.

“The bill moves Illinois closer to a fair, modern system regarding the ability of transgender and gender expansive individuals, as well as survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence to change their names,” said Khadine Bennett, director of advocacy and intergovernmental affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.

There is currently a lifetime ban on name changes for people convicted of identity theft, murder, sex crimes and arson, but the new law does away with that. In all other felony cases, the 10-year waiting period on name changes will be no more.

“The bill moves Illinois closer to a fair, modern system regarding the ability of transgender and gender expansive individuals, as well as survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence to change their names,” Bennett said. “This is corrected under the new law.”

Judges will still have final say over approving names for felons subjected to the lifetime ban. In certain cases, petitioners will have to convince the judge that they are changing their name because they are transgender or were victims of trafficking. This would also include name changes for marriages or religious reasons.

The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024.